Issue Archive

Apple Inc. added a fingerprint scanner to its latest version of the iPhone, offering biometric security possibilities for workplaces or mobile commerce. Some analysts say that Apple's embrace of fingerprint scanning could lead to wider adoption and mainstream usage. Many laptops, external hard-drives and electronic wallets contain fingerprint scanners, but the technology has not emerged yet due to cost and a lack of supporting infrastructure.

Bluetooth HD earmuffs, made by activewear company 180s, will debut this fall. The Bluetooth product, which warms your ears while also hiding speakers and a microphone, is another example of wearable computing — a technology area that includes trendy devices like smartwatches and Google Glass. Many supporters appreciate the convenience and capabilities of these kinds of tools, while others consider the wearable computing technology to be too unsightly to put on, or too easy to forget before leaving the house.

The London borough of Brent is using a virtual receptionist, or hologram, to greet visitors in its new civic center. The hologram responds to questions about locations in the building, such as where to register births or where to head to apply for a marriage certificate. The virtual employee will be presented on a screen, and visitors can type in the reason for their visit and be given information on where to go or what kind of paperwork they require.

Last week, entrepreneur Elon Musk unveiled a transportation concept that he said could whisk passengers the nearly 400 miles between Los Angeles and San Francisco in 30 minutes. The theoretical Hyperloop would consist of carlike capsules traveling at more than 700 mph through enclosed tubes. The capsules, which would contain about 28 passengers each, would ride on pockets of air, propelled by a linear induction motor. Some experts, however, have concerns about development cost, energy requirements, and technical feasibility. A Hyperloop, for example, could also be a tough fit in a region with an already built-up infrastructure, because of the need to locate the tubes and pylons.

As medical technology advances, doctors are increasingly being assisted by robots. Tele-operated machinery like the Da Vinci system, for example, helps surgeons perform a variety of surgeries. One of the latest technologies, Veebot, is a robot phlebotomist that uses infrared light, a camera, and ultrasound to pick a good vein in a person's arm and draw blood.

This month, researchers at the Scripps Institute in Florida found that mice injected with a protein called REV-ERB underwent physiological changes usually associated with exercise, including increased metabolic rates and weight loss. The scientists suggested that we are therefore closer than ever before to creating a pill that provides all the benefits of exercise. Many support the time-saving benefits of such a pill, as well as the obvious health advantages, but many have concerns about its effect on fitness and sports industries, as well as its effect on one’s discipline and work habits.

NASA engineers at Johnson Space Center have been designing instruments to slightly warp the trajectory of a photon, changing the distance it travels in a certain area, and then observing the change with an interferometer. The team is experimenting with photons to see if warp drive — traveling faster than light — might one day be possible. Einstein famously postulated that the speed of light could not be exceeded. Dr. Harold G. White, a physicist and advanced propulsion engineer at NASA, however, believes that the instruments he is constructing have made render warp speed less implausible.

Question of the Week

This week's Question: This month, the Federal Aviation Administration proposed long-awaited rules on the commercial use of small drones, requiring operators to be certified, fly only during daylight, and keep their aircraft in sight. The ruling,...